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Would top business schools admit an applicant who doesn’t have an undergraduate degree? For most applicants, the answer would be a resounding “no.” Then again, most applicants aren’t Robert Pattinson, the Twilight series hunk, who—according to the National Enquirer—may be shopping around for a B-school to call home.

The Enquirer has reported that Pattinson is considering several schools, including UCLA Anderson School of Management, Harvard Business School, NYU Stern School of Business, and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. The story said he wanted to take “college-level courses” to sharpen his business skills with the ultimate goal of becoming a Hollywood executive. Since half those schools don’t even offer undergraduate business programs, Pattinson may have his heart set on an MBA.

Getting into a graduate-level program without an undergraduate degree would be quite a feat, even for the otherwise-extraordinary Edward Cullen. Still, B-schools make all sorts of exceptions to the rules for applicants they deem extraordinary in one way or another. (Tyra Banks, a high-profile star who lacked a college degree, made it into Harvard’s executive education program.) We contacted the schools that are supposedly on Pattinson’s short list to ask if they would waive the college degree requirement.

“The short answer is we do not accept candidates (humans, vampires or werewolves) without an undergraduate degree,” wrote Wharton Admissions Director Ankur Kumar in an e-mail. NYU referred us a Web page that says an undergraduate degree is, in fact, required. Harvard (requirements here) and UCLA (requirements) declined to comment, but also necessitate undergraduate degrees.

“We do receive applications from, and have in the class, students from a myriad of backgrounds and industries,” said Kumar. “We have had actors, musicians, and comedians, but alas, no vampires as of yet. We’d happily consider one who has received an undergraduate degree!” (Good to know, for anyone planning a campus visit.)

Re: How unique is being a Vampire in a Business School? [#permalink]
09 Jan 2013, 12:45

Expert's post

I must say this article was a little unexpected given the subject. I thought you'd stumbled on the reason that most business schools offer so many nighttime courses!

On a more serious note it's not uncommon for celebrities or other young people with lots of money to want to enroll in business school. If you think about it, they have more money than they know what to do with it and careers that statistically have limited shelf lives. Hiring a manager to handle your finances is also risky, as the person you hire can embezzle your earnings or mismanage your portfolio or be Michael Lohan.

In fact, I've already had pro sports players in my GMAT classes, eyeing a business degree to put to use when their sports careers inevitably end at the ripe old age of 30 or 35. We all know of sports stars (Mike Tyson) or movie actors (Nicolas Cage) who've gone bankrupt despite earning millions of dollars during their careers. I think people in these positions would make good business school students and classmates, just be weary of inviting them over to study without garlic handy. _________________